You spend countless hours (and countless dollars) deciding on your wedding day florals. Your bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces and accents bring color and beauty to your day, and enhance every part of your celebration.
But when the wedding day has come and gone, many brides of Long Island wonder what to do with all those leftover buds and blooms. Some choose to preserve a few petals, but what about the rest? Should you make peace with the fact that your gorgeous flowers will eventually end up in the garbage?
You don’t have to, thanks to BOLI Preferred Vendor Don’t Toss the Bouquet. Instead of throwing your flowers away, owner Christa Morris brings your flowers to those who need a little cheering up in our community.
Christa was inspired to start a donation service after many brides offered their centerpieces and bouquets. “Many couples were rushing off to their honeymoons right after their weddings, and while I couldn’t accommodate such large quantities at the time, it always felt like such a shame to see all those beautiful flowers go to waste,” she said.
After a bit a brainstorming, she decided to start a donation service — with immediate positive results. “Our first donation came from Erin at Stonebridge Country Club [a BOLI Preferred Venue]. We repurposed her flowers and delivered them to multiple locations, creating joy not only for the people receiving the flowers but also for the bride herself.”
How flower donation works
Weddings may be complicated to plan, but donating your flowers certainly isn’t. “Couples start by booking a donation request through our website,” Christa explained. “We offer a pick-up service for a fee that varies based on the wedding location. At the end of the event, we take down the centerpieces and any additional florals the couple wants to donate.” Don’t worry if there are a few pieces you want to keep, as you’ll list exactly what Christa should take and what she should leave behind!
“If pick-up isn’t an option, couples can also drop off their flowers with us for free,” she continued. “All they need to do is schedule a drop-off so we can start coordinating with organizations that might want to receive them.”
Whether they’re for a major event or one individual, your donated flowers bring much needed happiness to your community. “Each month, I try to focus on a specific theme to guide where the flowers go,” Christa detailed. “In September, we ‘go gold’ for families impacted by pediatric cancer. October is dedicated to breast cancer awareness and infant loss, and February focuses on supporting widows. While it doesn’t always align perfectly with the volume of flowers we receive, having a theme helps us direct our efforts.”
“I also maintain a running log of potential delivery addresses,” she continued. “We regularly deliver to nursing homes and increasingly to nonprofit events. For example, we’ve provided flowers for Mental Health 5Ks, a Widow’s Walk in June, and even for a school play where every child received a rose.”
If Christa gets an unexpected donation, she turns to social media. “We often post on Instagram, asking who might need a little cheer. Then, we set out with bouquets, leaving them on doorsteps throughout the community. These spontaneous deliveries are some of our favorites because they often reach people at just the right moment—whether they’ve rung the bell for cancer, experienced a loss, or are simply going through a tough time.”
With each donation, Christa leaves an important call to ‘pass it on.’ “We always leave two small bouquets with a note explaining that the flowers were donated. The note encourages the recipient to keep one bouquet and pass the other along, keeping the love and kindness spreading.”
An added benefit for the happy couple
As of 2025, you can now claim your donated flowers as a tax deduction! “The process is pretty simple since we also run a nonprofit 501c3,” Christa said. “After the wedding, brides receive a donation receipt that includes our EIN number. They can provide this receipt to their accountant to claim a tax deduction for donating to a charitable organization. It’s an easy way to give back while also receiving a financial benefit.”
Beautiful moments, when they’re needed most
Christa does deal with some skepticism when delivering donations. “Sometimes people wonder if there are strings attached or if they’ll need to pay for the flowers,” she said. “Once they realize the flowers are a genuine gift, the reactions can be incredibly touching. I’ve received heartfelt cards and phone calls from people in tears, expressing how much the flowers meant to them.”
“One of my favorite stories was when we did a random neighborhood drop, leaving flowers on doorsteps,” she recalled. “Unknowingly, we left a bouquet at a home where someone had recently passed away. The family arrived at this home to prepare the house for sale, and the flowers were there to greet them. The timing was perfect, and we had no idea—that kind of serendipity is just beautiful.”
Flower donations can also directly benefit local charities in need. “By providing flowers for their events, we not only help them avoid extra expenses but also add a special, often unexpected, element to their gatherings.”
A well-deserved second life
Christa recognizes the immense talents of local florists, which makes the donations even more impactful. “I see firsthand how much effort florists put into their creations—the artistry, the time, and the care that goes into every arrangement,” she described. “The fact that these designs often only last for five hours before ending up in a dumpster is heartbreaking. That’s another reason why donating flowers is so meaningful. Seeing them get a second life, bringing comfort and joy to others, is not just a beautiful gesture—it’s also a true testament to the talent and dedication of the floral community.”
“I always remind people that I’m just one person, and I can only take on a few donations at a time,” she continued. “Flowers have a limited timeline, and I want to ensure they reach people while they’re still fresh and beautiful. It’s all about giving those flowers the justice they deserve—letting them continue to spread love and joy even after the wedding day by changing the world with flowers.”
